


Oikawa's grand plan to get free food from his rivals.

by rarepairqueen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bad Puns, Friendship, Gen, I gave up with canon, Pancake making, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Pretty Setter Squad, rivals to friends, snapchat shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 22:48:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13668918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarepairqueen/pseuds/rarepairqueen
Summary: Oikawa wants to be on more friendly terms with certain setters. So naturally inviting them all to his house under the guise of a 'cross team competition' was going to go down brilliantly with the others, right?Alternative title: The Pancake Saga aka Semi Eita tries not to murder everyone(Also don't shoot me for the way it's tagged - I tried my best)





	Oikawa's grand plan to get free food from his rivals.

**Author's Note:**

> It's valentines day tomorrow but more importantly; it's pancake day TODAY and that is a very serious holiday in the UK.
> 
> So I decided not to write anything fluffy or smutty but instead; a fic about the setter squad making pancakes. Because it's a thing I wanted to see and boy did it turn out longer than expected.

 

"So let me get this straight, you want to invite the other setters to your house to make _pancakes_ together?" Iwaizumi gave Oikawa a sceptical look as Oikawa grinned back at him. "Why?"

Oikawa rolled his eyes, he had said _why_ he wanted to organise it already but Iwaizumi had been engrossed in whatever homework he had been in the middle of when Oikawa first suggested it.

"Because, Iwa-chan, I think as setters, it would be nice to meet up and share some tips on technique and have a nice conversation about who we think will come out on top at nationals."

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. "You really think they're all going to agree to that?"

"Of course! Who would turn down a chance to eat pancakes anyway?"

"Kageyama probably." Iwaizumi snorted. "And I highly doubt Kenma and Akaashi would come all the way from Tokyo for pancakes."

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa pouted, making the other laugh. "Don't be mean, I'm sure they'll come if I invite them..."

Iwaizumi sighed, closing his textbook and meeting Oikawa's gaze. "I have an idea of how to _definitely_ get them to show up."

"Oh?"

"Even the two from Shiratorizawa."

"Semi and Shirabu?" Oikawa gave Iwaizumi a puzzled look. "Do go on Iwa-chan, I'm dying to know."

"Well, you are all from opposing teams after all, so why not make it a contest? A contest of pride? Heck you could make it an annual thing between the teams--"

"Iwa-chan that's _genius_!" Oikawa exclaimed, grinning from ear-to-ear. "And maybe we could do a captain's one, or-or an ace's--"

"Hold your horses!" Iwaizumi laughed. "Get the setter squad together first and _then_ we'll see about the others..." He rubbed his forehead. "I don't wanna think about Bokuto and Kuroo in your kitchen, being let loose with flour and eggs..."

"Relax~" Oikawa smiled, waving off Iwaizumi's slightly worried expression. "What could possibly go wrong?"

 

* * *

 

 

When the invite over mass text came through to Suga's phone, he wasn't sure whether to be more confused or suspicious. He didn't want to know how Seijoh's captain had gotten hold of everyone's numbers, and he also didn't want to know why Oikawa was so willing to invite not only the immediate rival setters in his own region but two from Tokyo and two from the team he rebelled against going to.

Safe to say, Suga wasn't sure what on earth had possessed Oikawa to invite them all over in the first place, he also wasn't sure what possessed him to accept it. Persuading Kageyama to say yes wasn't hard, especially when the word 'competition' was uttered. The entirety of Karasuno wanted to tag along but Suga was adamant that this was a 'setter only' ordeal and that the last thing anyone needed was Hinata and Tanaka gate-crashing what was otherwise going to be a reasonably peaceful gathering.

He told Oikawa that him and Kageyama would meet Akaashi and Kenma at the train station before getting to Oikawa's house. He was going about this in a civil manner, curious as to what kind of competition the other had in mind but prepared for almost anything.

"What do you think he's planning senpai?" Kageyama asked as they waited for the train from Tokyo.

"Me? How would I know? You're his former kouhai." Suga replied with a trace of sass that made Kageyama laugh slightly.

"Well you've encountered him more than I have recently."

"You make it sound like he's some cryptid creature with that wording..."

"You don't 'meet' Oikawa, you encounter him." Kageyama shrugged. "And you occasionally make it out alive--"

The overhead speakers announced the train from Tokyo would be arriving, cutting off the rest of Kageyama's explanation into 'encountering Oikawa'. Within five minutes, the roar of the high-speed train preceded the screeching of brakes as it pulled into the station. Suga waved to the duo from Tokyo as they disembarked from the train, Akaashi was practically steering Kenma through the crowd by his shoulders in order to make sure he didn't get lost .

"So, Oikawa's competition." Suga remarked after exchanging greetings.

"Yeah." Akaashi sighed. "You should've seen it, we were hanging out at Kuroo's when the text came through and..." He sighed again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bokuto and Kuroo were very insistent that we came."

"Oh?" Kageyama asked, noting that Kenma was smirking slightly. "How so?"

Nekoma's setter looked up from his games console with a small smirk. "Akaashi has to defend Fukurodani's honour."

Suga and Kageyama exchanged a glance as Akaashi sighed. "Yep, according to Bokuto, I have to defend our honour. How, or why, I don't know. But he said that if I fail it'll be dishonour on _me_ , my family, my team, our mascot...the list went on but I stopped listening."

"And Kuroo?" Suga asked, trying to hold in the laugh that was threatening to interrupt.

Kenma snorted. "He tried to look thoughtful for a few moments as he analysed the text for any hint of what we'd even be doing. Then he stood up in a superhero pose and made a speech about how between me and Akaashi, we'll make Tokyo great again."

"...great again?" Kageyama repeated. "What? When did it not become great?"

Kenma shrugged. "Bokuto agreed wholeheartedly with him but then said that Fukurodani will be the better team which then prompted a whole different argument."

Akaashi laughed. "Yeah, so apparently we're representing 'Team Tokyo'. And if we lose at whatever Oikawa has planned, we might as well be homeless."

Kageyama chewed on his lip as he looked at Suga. "Will we be disowned if we lose?"

Suga laughed, slapping Kageyama on the back. "Don't be ridiculous Kageyama." He smiled. "Cause we're not going to lose."

Akaashi and Kenma felt a shiver run down their spines as Suga's smile became slightly more unnerving. They then remembered this was the same Suga who was on a team with Tanaka and the future ace had to have learned how to be scary from someone.

"Anyway, we should get going." Suga's more reassuring persona returning as he gestured to the stairs that led to the station exit.

Oikawa didn't live too far from the station, at least that's what google maps lead them to believe. The reality was they should've gotten another train to the captain's house but once they realised this, they were over halfway there so continued walking. The sun was warm on their faces but there was still a winter chill in the air. They had tried to brainstorm some possible things that Oikawa had planned, but none of them really seemed likely, the more Suga thought about it, the more he thought that maybe this was just an elaborate ploy to get all the setters in one place to gossip about their teams.

"This is it." Kageyama nodded to the upcoming house on their right. It was a modest two-storey building with a neatly kept patch of grass outside the front door, the plaque proclaiming it was the Oikawa residence glinting in the sunlight. "So who wants to open the portal to hell?"

Kenma snorted, trying to hold in his laughter as Suga gave Kageyama a 'I'm not sure that was called for but I'll allow it' look as he pressed the buzzer. They waited a few moments before the door opened, Oikawa gave them all a pleasant smile before inviting them all inside without so much of an explanation.

Once they were all seated in Oikawa's lounge, Suga addressed the elephant in the room.

"So, what's this competition then Oikawa?" He asked.

"Hm? Oh, well I was going to wait for Semi and Shirabu to get here."

"Wait, they're actually coming?" Kageyama was just as confused as Suga.

"Well, _yeah_." Oikawa gave Kageyama a 'really?' look. "It's a competition between teams so they _have_ to."

Kenma and Akaashi exchanged a glance. "So," Akaashi carefully interjected. "is this simply a pride thing or are you going to try and canvas us for our team's weaknesses?"

Oikawa looked slightly offended at the accusation. "Would I really do that? Would I really organise all this just to find out something I could find out by watching your matches?"

"Yes." Kageyama immediately stated without hesitation.

"I wouldn't put it past you." Suga uttered.

"Well," Oikawa inhaled a deep breath before smiling at the group. "I'm not. I simply wanted to get us all together to spend time with each other, to bond as setters...and have minor competition."

"A minor competition." Akaashi repeated. "Regarding _what_?"

" _Fine_ I'll tell you." Oikawa threw up his hands in slight frustration. "We're making pancakes."

There were a few seconds of silence as the information sunk in. Kageyama looked like he was in slight pain as he tried to link Oikawa's past actions with pancakes and how pancake making could hide a nefarious plan to undermine all of their teams.

"I can't wait to see how Semi Eita reacts to this news." Kenma remarked.

"He's a perfect ray of sunshine." Oikawa waved off the remark. "He'll love it."

Suga had to admit, he didn't see this coming. But he found himself smiling at the idea.

"So, you mean to tell us that you've gathered us here to make pancakes? Where's the competition aspect?"

Oikawa's smile widened. "I'm glad you asked Sugawara, I'm glad you asked."

 

* * *

 

 

"I still think this is a stupid idea." Semi scoffed.

"I didn't _ask_ you to accompany me." Shirabu muttered in reply.

"Ushijima insisted I did, because Oikawa is a sneaky bastard who potentially orchestrated all this just to gain info on our play-style."

"Or, you are both being ridiculous and Oikawa just wants to have an honest-to-god meet up before we crush him at nationals."

"Don't disrespect your captain like that!"

Shirabu huffed. He would've been just fine attending this 'setter squad meet up' without his irritating team-mate, the fact that _he_ was the first choice setter now should've meant that he _alone_ should've been allowed to come and not have Semi grumbling about 'scheming Oikawa' the entire train ride to the other's house. But _no_ , Ushijima was adamant that he had to be accompanied - using the fact that Semi _used_ to be their first choice setter as a way to say he fit the qualifications to attend.

After all, it was a _setter_ meet up, not 'random assortment of players'.

Finding Oikawa's house was easy, Semi resigned himself to pressing the door buzzer and waiting to greet the whirlwind that he knew was Oikawa.

"Semi! How nice of you to come!" Oikawa's shrill greeting made Semi wince. "It's been a long time since we last spoke like this."

"Yeah. Almost not long enough." Semi uttered, gesturing to Shirabu "This is my kouhai and setter for Shiratorizawa."

"Yes yes, now hurry up, everyone else is already here." Oikawa was ushering them into his house. Semi nodded in greeting to the other setters, he was familiar with Kenma and Akaashi, Suga he had heard about in passing and seen a few replays of his matches. He was not overly familiar with Suga's kouhai though.

"Kageyama, this is Semi Eita." Suga introduced the two. "Setter for Shiratorizawa."

"Well," Semi sighed. "Shirabu is actually our first choice setter these days...I seem to just be his glorified babysitter."

"You're so rude Semi." Shirabu huffed, flopping down next to Kenma. "Anyone would think you're jealous of my skills."

"Listen here you little--"

Oikawa burst back into the room with an apron on, interrupting whatever Semi was about to call Shirabu as everyone was both confused and a little daunted by Oikawa's grin.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" Semi forgot about chastising his kouhai as he became entranced by the many different alien heads littered over the apron's design. "I knew your fashion sense was questionable but--"

"Tendou told you that you look uncool in casual clothes, Semi." Shirabu remarked.

Oikawa smiled sweetly at Semi. "Oh, right you weren't here when I explained to everyone else." He continued smiling despite the scowl on Semi's face. "We're making pancakes."

"...are you fucking with me?" Semi asked.

"No I'd rather not 'fuck with' you Semi sweetie."

Kenma and Shirabu were perilously close to breaking into a fit of giggles as Oikawa continued smiling at Semi, Suga and Akaashi weren't sure what to think as Semi opened his mouth to reply before thinking better of it.

"So...pancakes." Kageyama repeated. "You want us to make pancakes."

"Yes!" Oikawa shoved Semi aside to talk to the rest of the room. "So, the competition part -for those of you who weren't _here_ when I went through it before -" he glanced pointedly at Semi. "we're going to be making three different types of pancake."

"Right." Akaashi could somewhat see how this was going to work. "And whoever does the best overall wins?"

"Precisely Akaashi!" Oikawa beamed. "So we'll be making our standard Japanese style - uber fluffy and thicc, yes _thicc_ with two c's."

"Please kill me." Semi sighed as Shirabu cracked up finally.

"Then we'll make some American-style ones; more stodgy, less fluffy but so _so_ good, especially with maple syrup."

"Why does he make it sound like porn?" Akaashi uttered to Suga who snorted.

"And finally some European ones!"

"...you mean crepes." Suga corrected. "Like, French crepes."

"No, pancakes." Oikawa pouted.

"...but crepes and pancakes are the same?"

" _No_."

"What kind of European pancake are you talking about then?"

"The _pancake_."

Kageyama was beside himself as Suga and Oikawa started bickering about the differences of crepes and pancakes. Most of the bickering was centred around how Oikawa's sister went to London and had pancakes which were 'definitely _not_ crepes' and those were the ones Oikawa wanted to make now, yet Suga was adamant she must've had a crepe because 'normal pancakes aren't that thin!' once he saw a picture of the alleged pancake.

Kenma was now keeping a tally of how many times the word 'pancake' was yelled.

"Regardless, can we just get on with it?" Shirabu asked. "I'm hungry."

"Seconded." Kenma murmured.

Akaashi plucked the recipe from Oikawa's hand - it having been retrieved in the epic argument over origins of flat-bread food - and scanned it for a conclusive answer that would end this particular argument.

"Yeah, they're pancakes, not crepes. Moving on."

"Hah!" Oikawa triumphantly stated. "I win."

Suga scowled at Oikawa but held his tongue. The group allowed themselves to be herded into the large kitchen, an island counter took up most of the space with wall counters bordering it. A large stove stood proudly under the modern spotlights of the room, several hobs waiting for the chaos to be unleashed.

"So, are we being put into teams?" Akaashi asked as Oikawa gestured to the array of bowls, packets of flour, sugar, butter in various states of melting and far too many eggs to be left in the vicinity of a load of teenage boys.

"Yes," Oikawa nodded. "So Karasuno and Shiratorizawa are obvious, Akaashi you and Kenma--"

"Are team Tokyo." Kenma interrupted. "Bokuto and Kuroo already decided that for us."

Oikawa laughed. "Well then, that sorts that."

They were each given three simple recipe cards to guide them, Oikawa explained he would be the judge and whoever was the best duo could go home as pancake champions.

"...and why are doing this again?" Semi asked as Oikawa handed everyone an apron.

"Your team's pride is on the line here Semi sweetie. I'd be more enthusiastic about protecting it."

"Call me that one more time and I swear--"

"Ah-ah." Oikawa smiled and handed Semi a mixing bowl and a whisk. "Your kouhai is counting on you."

As much as Semi wanted to kick up a fuss, he decided it would be a better idea to go along with Oikawa's batshit crazy plan. He joined Shirabu at their designated workstation and started reading one of the cards. Pancakes themselves were easy to make, only requiring a handful of ingredients, but the real test was the actual act of putting the mixture into the pan.

"Wait." Kageyama's voice from the other side of the kitchen broke Semi's thought process.

"What?" Suga asked, halfway through measuring out some flour.

Kageyama looked back and forth at the recipe cards in his hands. "...do you _bake_ a pancake...or _fry_ a pancake?"

There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to work out the answer.

"Well," Akaashi stated, staring at his batter in thought for a moment. "It's a cake, so you bake it?"

"It's in a frying pan though." Shirabu replied, waving a whisk around to try and demonstrate his point, flicking droplets of batter everywhere. "So you fry it."

Suga opened his mouth to object but abruptly reconsidered. Kenma looked back and forth between Akaashi and Shirabu as the latter continued waving the whisk around, annoying Semi in the process as more batter dripped onto the floor.

"Why else would it be called a frying pan?"

"But you don't call a pot you boil water in a 'boiling pan'." Akaashi snorted. "So that logic doesn't hold up."

Oikawa leaned against the door frame watching the exchange as Shirabu started being more aggressive with the cooking implement. Kageyama had forgotten about the conundrum as he focused more on the egg cracking responsibility he had been handed by Suga.

"But what else do you call a frying pan then? It's a pan _for frying_." Shirabu continued, not letting this petty argument with Akaashi drop even as the other seemed uncaring for an argument on linguistics.

"A skillet." Kenma piped up.

"What _the fuck_ is a skillet?"

"Uncultured piece of..." Semi uttered, confiscating the whisk from Shirabu. "You're a menace, give that here."

"No! I wanna whisk."

"Then actually do some whisking instead of arguing about baking or frying when the recipe _clearly_ says _cook_ the pancake!"

"Wait the recipe said that, then why the fuck did Kageyama--"

"It doesn't matter!" Semi threw his hands in the air, scattering flour everywhere like snow.

On the other, much less crazy side of the kitchen, Suga had combined all the dry ingredients and was waiting on Kageyama to crack and beat the eggs. He made the slight error to not confirm that when the recipe said 'beat', it did not mean Kageyama should punch it.

"Why...why did you think that was...what you had to do." Suga asked slowly as egg yolk dripped from Kageyama's hand onto the floor.

"What else could 'beat' mean?" Kageyama blinked, confused as to why Kenma and Oikawa were in danger of bursting into laughter at the scene.

"So...many things." Suga sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"There's a bowl of spares here." Akaashi said, ignoring Shirabu's squawks of protest at being ignored and picking one up to carefully throw it to Kageyama, they were barely a few feet from each other so he assumed it would be completely fine. "Here."

Kageyama's instinct didn't leave room for the thought of 'this projectile flying towards me isn't a volleyball, therefore I shouldn't set it'. Rather, the egg was caught expertly but then launched swiftly away from him like he had been trained to do the past few years of his life.

It wasn't _his_ fault that the egg happened to break on contact, contact with Oikawa's face.

Suga immediately put himself between Kageyama and Oikawa, in some vague attempt to protect his kouhai from whatever reaction they were about to witness from their host.

"Hey Oikawa," Akaashi's deadpan expression gave nothing away as Oikawa's eye twitched slightly. "I think you got something on your face."

"Really Akaashi?" Oikawa remarked, grimacing. "I hadn't noticed."

Semi glanced over his shoulder to find out why everyone had gone quiet. He took one glance at Oikawa's eggy face and lost what little composure he had left.

"Hey, I think it's an improvement." He stated, handing the bowl of pancake batter to Shirabu to take to the stove for cooking.

"If that's the case," Oikawa picked up another spare egg as he crossed the space between him and Semi "then you could use the same treatment."

In one quick motion, Oikawa's hand came up to smash the egg into Semi's cheek with impressive precision. Pieces of eggshell remained stuck to the other's face as the yolk dribbled down onto his shirt. Semi's scowl was more prominent than ever and there was a look that screamed 'murder' in his eyes.

Shirabu shoved the bowl of batter into Kenma's hands before he sunk to the floor in a heap of laughter, unable to contain himself in the face of seeing his senpai being put in his place by a rival setter.

"Well, this is uneggs-pected." Kenma stared at the bowl in his hands. "Does this mean this mixture is ours now?"

Akaashi shrugged, stepping over Shirabu to get to the stove with his frying pan. "I've already got our mixture for Japanese style pancakes so you might as well give that back."

Kenma nodded, turning to Semi as Shirabu was still in a state of hysterical laughter. Semi had hastily wiped the egg from his face and was holding the whisk like a dagger to Oikawa's face. Kenma decided that death was not on his agenda that day and donated the mixture to Kageyama instead.

"So Kageyama, to beat an egg you crack it into a bowl and whisk it with a fork." Suga explained, ignoring the lunacy on the other side of the kitchen out of principle.

"But why is it called 'beating' an egg?" Kageyama asked, accepting the bowl of batter from Kenma without thinking.

Suga was considering his stance on having children in the future if this is what parenthood was like. "I...because you're beating the yolk with a fork...I think."

"...but why do it at all? Surely you can just crack the yolk into the mixture and--"

"Sure! Why not! Go for it." Suga had put up with as much as he could handle that day, arguing about the merits of beating an egg with his kouhai was a step too far. "Wait where did that bowl of batter come from?"

Kageyama looked at the bowl Kenma had given him. "Uh...I don't know."

Suga had to take a deep breath before he snapped. "Kageyama, you shouldn’t accept gifts from strangers without at least _remembering who they were_."

"Kenma isn't a stranger though."

"Then why didn't you _say_ Kenma gave it to you?"

Kageyama tilted his head to the side slightly. "You asked _where_ it came from, not who gave it to me. I can't possibly know the origins of this batter as Kenma didn't say anything."

"Oh my fucking god Kageyama."

"So is this mixture ours now?"

"No it fucking isn't!" Semi's voice boomed from the other side of the kitchen. "Shirabu you little shit why does Karasuno have our batter?"

"Because you were busy being egg-tremely hostile."

"SHIRABU"

"SEMI"

Akaashi sighed heavily as he watched the batter bubble inside the mould. He hadn't anticipated the duo from Shiratorizawa being so loud, but it was entertaining to witness nonetheless. Oikawa had since wiped the egg from his face and was now watching Semi berating the younger setter.

"Wait, what's that smell?" Shirabu interrupted Semi's rant about 'disrespectful youths'.

"The smell of cooking pancakes." Kenma replied as he poured flour into a fresh bowl for the next style of pancake. "On the account Akaashi is nearly finished with our first pancake."

"How have you already gotten one on the stove?"

"Because they weren't brandishing the whisk about like they were one of the three musketeers," Oikawa remarked. "Or smashing eggs into my face, or losing their batter--"

"Where's our batter Semi?" Shirabu asked with a coy smile.

Semi Eita was 100% done with his kouhai.

 

* * *

 

 

There was a moment of silence as Oikawa examined the pancakes laid out in front of him. After Semi retrieved the batter from Kageyama, there were several minutes of genuine collaboration between the team-mates. Suga had been reluctant to let Kageyama anywhere near the stove after the beating of the egg incident, but he relented and was pleasantly surprised at how little went wrong; the only casualty of the process was a minor amount of batter.

And so, despite the chaos in the kitchen, the first round of the 'competition' was finally finished. All that was left was Oikawa's judgement.

They watched as he took a bite from each plate, savouring the taste of the fruit that each pancake had been garnished with.

"Well?" Shirabu asked, already glancing over the method for the 'European' style of pancakes.

Oikawa hummed, taking another bite of pancake. "Oh, right--Team Tokyo won this round."

"I call bullshit, Kenma stole our batter!" Semi slammed his hands on the counter.

"You still made a pancake Semi-Sweetie." Oikawa smiled. "The batter stealing had nothing to do with it."

Suga sighed, the next round wouldn't be too hard - pancake making in its own right wasn't _hard_ under normal circumstances, but this was far from normal.

"So it's like a crepe but not." Kageyama stated.

"This one is more...liquidy when you flip it." Kenma gestured to the air as he explained. "and you don't use a mould."

"So it takes the shape of a pan."

"A pan-cake..." Shirabu murmured as Akaashi handed him two eggs.

Semi resisted the urge to give his kouhai a healthy dose of sass for his observation. Oikawa simply laughed as he moved between the 'teams', taking an avid interest in how they were dealing with a foreign recipe.

"Wait this says to make a well in the flour...what?" Akaashi wrinkled his nose at the bowl of flour in front of him.

"What's not to get?" Suga asked.

"Why specifically a well? why not just pour the eggs in?"

Semi watched as Shirabu poked their pile of flour, exhibiting impressive focus as he carefully made a small indent for the cracked eggs to drop into.

"...I would say don't question it but--"

"Do I get to beat the eggs again Suga-san?" Kageyama interrupted.

"Oh god no." Suga replied. "No beating eggs, and no throwing them at Oikawa either, no matter how tempting it is."

"Hey!" Oikawa pouted.

"I said it was an improvement Oiks." Semi called without even looking over.

Oikawa gave Akaashi and Suga an incredulous 'what the actual fuck' look. "Did-Did you just call me _Oiks_?"

"Yeah. If you're calling me 'sweetie' then I'm calling you Oiks." Semi snorted. "Or would you rather Shittykawa??"

"Pain-in-the-ass-Oikawa-san?" Akaashi suggested.

"You could call him Oinks, he squeals like a pig when he's offended." Kenma shrugged/

"Excuse me!" Oikawa was beginning to feel like they were all ganging up on him at _his_ gathering. And that simply wouldn't do. "Can I remind you all that I invited you here to make pancakes, _not_ make fun of me!"

"Yeah but," Suga handed Kageyama the frying pan destined for the stove "you should've expected this, especially given the fact you haven't made a single pancake yet you're the only one _eating_ them."

"What did I do to deserve you all being mean?" Oikawa seemed genuinely offended.

"Do you want a list Oiks?" Semi remarked, laughing when Oikawa glared at him in return.

"Quit calling me that."

"Or what?"

The challenge hung in the air as Oikawa's fingers twitched. The bowl of eggs was sat innocently in front of him and Semi was giving him a cocky smirk to rival Kuroo's.

To hell with pancakes, Oikawa wasn't letting this go.

 He picked up an egg and launched it baseball-style at Semi. The other ducked and the egg splattered against the wall behind him.

"Consider 'throwing eggs at your guests' added to the list." Kenma murmured as Semi returned fire with one of the eggs Shirabu hadn't added to the batter yet, hitting the door frame instead of his target.

"I'd say you were _semi_ accurate with that throw." Oikawa taunted as he picked up another egg.

"And I'd say you're a pain in the ass still."

Akaashi was almost unfazed by the chaos, subtly rolling two eggs out of sight of the feuding third years in order to get at least one more pancake made. He chuckled as Suga shook his head at the scene of Oikawa and Semi launching produce at each other and taunting one another.

"Well, I hope he doesn't want any more pancakes made." Suga remarked.

"I think at this point he just wants to murder Semi." Akaashi shrugged.

"Well that's his own fault isn't it?"

"Never said it wasn't."

With the bowl of eggs depleted and instead splattered around the kitchen and over both setters, Oikawa turned to the next readily available weapon.

"Are you telling me that you're gonna whisk me to death?" Semi laughed as the implement was picked up and waved around in a vaguely threatening manner.

"You're gonna whisk you hadn't started a war with me Eita." Oikawa declared.

"Oh I'm _so scared_."

As Oikawa made a step towards Semi, there was a clang from the stove followed by an 'oh shit'. The whisk dropped to the floor with a clatter. The silence in the kitchen was almost deafening.

"Kageyama." Oikawa said. "Why the fuck is there a pancake on my head?"

"Uhm." Kageyama quickly shoved the frying pan into Shirabu's hand. "It was him."

"EXCUSE ME." Shirabu exploded, confused by the sudden appearance of a frying pan in his hand - a still very _hot_ one at that.

"Shirabu I fucking love you." Semi completely lost his composure, breaking into a fit of laughter as Oikawa peeled back the warm, thin layer of batter that had landed on his head.

"It was actually _that_ idiot." Shirabu started waving the frying pan around in the same manner he had wielded the whisk before Akaashi confiscated it.

"How...How did you fuck that up?" Kenma asked, in reference to the pancake flipping that had gone _horribly_ wrong.

"...I've stopped asking that question around him and Hinata." Suga sighed, resigned to the fact this crazy train was well on its way to the grand canyon.

"Okay, you know what?" Oikawa was flatly ignoring Semi's hysterical laughter now as he wiped the pancake off his face. "I should probably tell you all the _real_ reason I got you here."

"There was an alternative reason besides 'free food'?" Akaashi blanched.

"Yes there was." Oikawa grinned.

"Oh this should be _golden_." Semi said, regaining his composure briefly. "Enlighten us, please Oiks."

For someone who had been hit in the face multiple times by flying food, Oikawa still looked as confident in himself as usual as he smiled at the group.

"Yes, so the real reason I invited you all here..." He left a dramatic pause. "Was to bond as setters."

There was a moment of silence for Suga's last shred of sanity as it died. "Are you telling me..." He carefully worded. "That you put on this act of a pancake competition, making it seem like such a big deal, because you wanted to _hang out with us_?"

"Yep." Oikawa seemed rather pleased with himself.

Akaashi took a deep breath. "Did you ever consider...asking us in a normal, non-competitive, manner?"

"Would that have been any fun?" Oikawa's hands were on his hips like he was scolding a child. It had very little effect on any of them so he changed his tune. "Okay, let me be real for a moment...the competition was Iwa-chan's idea."

"That doesn't surprise me in the slightest." Semi remarked with a small smirk.

"But," Oikawa continued "I meant what I said, I wanted us to get together as setters. I..." He trailed off, not sure how to get his feelings across. "I don't want us to just be rivals over a game..."

"You mean, you want to be _friendly_ rivals." Shirabu suggested, leaning on the island counter. "like those two are?" He gestured to Akaashi and Kenma.

Oikawa smiled. "Yeah...I do. I want to have group chats gossiping about our aces, movie nights where we watch the crappy horror films, bets on who's gonna get to nationals and the rest of us to cheer the victors on..."

"That sounds sickeningly adorable." Semi dryly said.

"It does, but it's also a strangely attractive thought." Kenma averted his gaze as he continued. "Kuro says I need more friends anyway."

Akaashi cast a glance to Suga before meeting Oikawa's gaze. "As long as you're not as demanding as Bokuto-san, I don't mind the idea of hanging out occasionally." He smiled slightly.

"Really?" Oikawa didn't actually expect anyone to accept. "Like, _really_?"

Kenma and Akaashi nodded, Oikawa felt like he was going to cry. Shirabu and Semi exchanged a glance, the younger waiting for the other to say something.

"Well, I'm sure this isn't what Ushijima had in mind when he told me to come here," Semi sighed. "But what the hell, I guess it wouldn't be the worst idea ever to agree to hang out with you again--but less egg throwing next time yeah?"

Oikawa laughed. "Okay but you started it sweetie."

Semi's eye twitched as he forced a smile before turning to Shirabu and hissing; "Don't even _think_ about repeating that nickname to anyone you little brat or I will make your life hell. Got it?"

Shirabu grinned. "No need to worry Semi, I won't tell a soul...except maybe Tendou."

"Do it, you die."

"It'll be worth it." Shirabu whispered before putting a bigger gap between him and his senpai.

Oikawa met Suga's gaze. "What about you, Karasuno?"

Suga was in two minds; it was his last year at high school and having friends outside of his team that were also off to college would be a good thing. However this _was_ Oikawa he was dealing with. He was still apprehensive about what a friendship with someone who had been painted as the devil incarnate would involve, he didn't have much of an opinion of Oikawa except on what he had been told by Kageyama and overheard in conversations.

Suga looked to Kageyama. "What do you think?"

Kageyama seemed to think for a moment, glancing between Suga and Oikawa respectfully. "I mean, sure he's an annoying player, but so's Hinata."

"You're comparing me to Hinata? Really?" Oikawa pouted.

"He means that whilst you're annoying to play against, you're...actually an alright person." Suga translated. "And, whilst getting us to make you pancakes under the guise of a competition isn't exactly a noble thing to do, I can see your intentions were mostly good."

"Mostly." Oikawa snorted. "...I think I have some eggs in the fridge, what say I make you all American style pancakes? Y'know...as a kind of apology for misleading you all?"

"Now _that_ I can get behind." Suga smiled.

A mass clean-up was started as Oikawa got to work making everyone pancakes. The splattered egg took a while to scrub from the walls and the door frame but it succeeded in making everyone work up an appetite. Akaashi helped Oikawa plate up the pancakes whilst Semi and Kenma laid the island counter out with treats to garnish them. Shirabu had started harassing Kageyama about what Hinata was like as a spiker, much to Suga's amusement when Kageyama started using 'gwah' to describe things and left the other setter blinking in confusion.

"Seriously what does 'gwah' even mean?" Shirabu asked for the fourth time as Kageyama tried to run through what their quick spike was.

"It means 'gwah'." Kageyama made a gesture of spiking, expression completely serious as Suga couldn’t stifle the laugh that threatened to escape. "What's not to get?"

"...everything?!"

Oikawa declared the last pancakes were done, preventing a fifth run-down of the move from taking place. Everyone gathered around the counter to garnish their thick, spongy pancakes with their choice of toppings from butter, syrup, fruit, even some whipping cream had been found hiding in Oikawa's fridge that was still in date. The host politely requested they sat in the lounge to eat, stating it would be more comfortable than standing and eating. And so, they ended up crowded around the low coffee table in Oikawa's lounge, enjoying the food on offer.

"so, when you say 'group chats gossiping about aces'," Akaashi asked between bites. "does that mean you want to gossip about Iwaizumi?"

Oikawa nearly choked on his food. "I-I mean, I was simply suggesting that could be a topic."

"So that's a yes." Suga remarked with a smile as Oikawa's blushing cheeks betrayed him. "Is it the arms, Oikawa?"

"Bokuto's are impressive." Akaashi said without a hint of embarrassment that Oikawa could only be jealous of.

"Who do you think would win in an arm-wrestle?" Kenma asked, picking at the red berries left on his plate. "Bokuto or Iwaizumi?"

"Iwaizumi obviously." Oikawa defiantly stated.

"Eh..." Semi wrinkled his nose. "Bokuto's are more obvious though."

"And how would you know?" Shirabu coyly smiled.

"You shut up, you're practically drooling over Ushijima with Goshiki." Semi pointedly glared at Shirabu. "I've actually seen Bokuto's matches."

"Speaking of, Ushijima would be able to beat Bokuto." Oikawa looked to Suga. "What about your aces?"

Suga chuckled. "Asahi would rather let Tanaka arm wrestle everyone, and Tanaka being...Tanaka, would probably end up trash-talking Iwaizumi too much and then get his hand broken."

"Now that I'd like to see." Oikawa raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not setting up any cross-team arm-wrestling tournaments." Suga waved his fork at Oikawa. "That is something you can take up with Daichi."

" _ooh_ Daichi." Oikawa smirked. "Now he's got some nice thighs."

"Can we not?" Suga placed his hands over Kageyama's ears. "Don't talk about our captain like that in front of my kouhai."

Laughter broke out in the group, Kageyama had missed the implication in Oikawa's statement but laughed anyway.  When their plates were empty, a feeling of content hung over the group. For all their bickering in the last few hours, they were able to sit together, laugh together, to simply be at peace with one another.

"Hey," Akaashi broke the silence as he met Oikawa's gaze "for the record, I don't really think you're a pain in the ass. If it's any consolation, I call Kuroo that all the time and I still call him a friend."

Oikawa took a second to realise Akaashi was apologising to him. "Oh! Oh no don't worry about it." He laughed, waving off Akaashi’s serious nature. "I hadn't been open with you all so I consider it what I deserved. No hard feelings here toward any of you."

"I'm still calling you Oiks though." Semi said.

"Of course Semi-Sweetie." Oikawa smiled, Shirabu sniggered as Semi jabbed him in the ribs in warning.

"So, now what?" Kageyama asked. "We go home?"

Oikawa thought for a moment. He didn't want his new friends to leave just yet but it was getting a little late, especially for Akaashi and Kenma who lived all the way in Tokyo. He then had an idea.

"Why don't you all stay here tonight? I've got the place to myself." He smiled. "Uh, I’m a little light on futons though, but I'm sure I can call Iwa-chan and he might have one or two spares."

"Or," Shirabu interrupted. "we could build a pillow fort."

There was a pause as everyone exchanged glances.

"Shirabu," Semi sighed before clapping his hand on the other's shoulder. "you're gonna go far kid."

"Is that a yes?"

"That's a _hell_ yes." Oikawa nodded.

 

* * *

 

 

Every single pillow and cushion in the Oikawa household was retrieved from its respective bed, closet and couch. Oikawa took charge of almost dismantling his entire couch to provide a solid wall for the fort, positioning the cushions to be the other walls and acquiring four chairs from his dining room to drape the blankets over to provide the roof. After securing the blankets together with wooden pegs, he instructed Akaashi to take charge of the interior; mainly the absurd number of pillows they had found that somehow had to fit inside, whilst he went to retrieve some 'entertainment from his room.

Kenma and Kageyama sat inside the almost expertly constructed fort and watched Akaashi assemble the rest of the pillows around the low coffee table they had managed to squeeze into the tight space. Once no more pillows would comfortably fit, the rest of the group squeezed inside and waited for Oikawa to return from his room.

"Cosy." Shirabu remarked, it was fairly dark under the blanket roof but that all changed when Oikawa entered with a bundle of fairy lights in hand. The bright bulbs cast the cosy quarters in a warm glow, and they weren't all that Oikawa proudly produced from his trip.

"Is that _jenga_?" Suga asked, watching as Oikawa opened the box and let the wooden bricks spill onto the table.

"It sure is Suga, it sure is." Oikawa smiled as Akaashi finished draping the fairy lights on top of the couch cushions. "I figured it could be a fun little game to play for a bit."

"I'm game." Semi said as he started stacking the bricks up. "Are there any stakes?"

Oikawa thought for a moment. "We all have at least some kind of group conversation with our teams, right?" He glanced around and received nods in return. "Alright, whoever topples the tower has to let one of the rest send a message to said group chat."

"Can I suggest a general rule about that?" Suga asked, already sensing how badly this could go.

"Sure." Oikawa bundled the box away as Semi got close to completing the tower.

"No random confessions or crap like that."

Oikawa smirked. "Sure. Just funny jokes and random call outs~"

Once the tower was in place, a rapid fire round of rock, paper, scissors took place to determine who would go first. Kenma won and a hush fell over the group as his gaze flickered over the tower in front of him. He arguably had the easiest go as the tower was as stable as it was going to be currently.

They went around the table, each taking a brick and slipping it out from under the others. No-one said anything for a while, simply exchanging glances of anticipation as each new gap in the foundations meant the tower could collapse with a clatter with little effort.

"Hey Kenma," Oikawa broke the silence as Akaashi concentrated on taking out one of the very bottom bricks without toppling the tower. "have you ever braided your hair?"

"Once or twice." Kenma replied, watching the brick become loose and be flicked out without so much as a wobble from the tower. "Why?"

"How did it turn out?"

Kenma raised an eyebrow. "Well it was Kuro's doing, so not very well."

"Oh can _I_ try?" Oikawa grinned.

Everyone wholeheartedly expected Kenma to say no immediately. Semi made a strange pained noise as he chose a brick that was supporting most of the tower's weight and watched it wobble dangerously before stilling.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to me." Kenma shrugged, taking a brick out with relative ease and dropping it on top of the tower, much to Semi's _delight_.

Kageyama stared at the tower intensely, chewing on his lip as he peered through the gaps left by past rounds, he could see Shirabu through them drumming his fingers on the table. It seemed like an age had passed by the time he careful dislodged a brick and let out a relieved sigh.

"I can't wait for this to topple over." Shirabu breathed as Suga went for a safer brick. The entire tower was balancing on one brick at this point and any jolt to the table would probably send it crashing down.

"Unless it's you who makes it topple." Akaashi replied, watching Shirabu crane his neck to see where the tower's weakness lay.

"Hah." Shirabu let out a sarcastic laugh as he picked one of the last 'stable' bricks and whisked it out with ease. "Your turn Oikawa."

Oikawa pouted, the tower didn't yield under his unimpressed gaze. He stuck out his tongue as he concentrated, wiggling a few different bricks experimentally before selecting one to pull out. Everyone watched in amusement as he took his time to try and ensure the tower didn't fall.

Unfortunately for Oikawa, the tower had more holes in it than a slice of Swiss cheese and collapsed with a loud clatter.

"Noooo!" He groaned, holding his chosen brick in the air.

Akaashi held out his hand with a smirk. "Hand the phone over."

Oikawa sulkily handed his phone to the other, swiping and unlocking it in the process. Akaashi found the messaging app - not exactly hard given that there were notifications for unread messages - and clicked through to the group chat with the rest of Seijoh. Most of the recent messages were memes from Hanamaki with Yahaba sending unimpressed emojis in response.

"Got any ideas Akaashi?" Semi asked as Oikawa pouted at the pile of bricks in front of him.

"Just one." Akaashi replied with a small smirk, tapping the camera icon and taking a picture of the sulking setter across the table from him; adding the caption; 'Tooru used sulk - it was super effective!'

Within a few seconds of the picture being sent, Oikawa's phone was buzzing insistently with replies and reaction gifs. Akaashi handed the phone back to Oikawa with an innocent smile, a smile that was returned with a certain about of sass.

As Suga re-stacked the tower for round two, Oikawa pined for Kenma to sit next to him so he could braid the other's hair whilst the second round took place. With the nerves of the first round gone, there was an air of amusement amongst them as they went around the table again. Kenma showed little interest in what Oikawa was doing to his hair as he watched Kageyama's focused expression, the tower showed no signs of toppling yet but that only fuelled everyone's false confidence.

Brick by brick, the holes reappeared. Semi cleared his throat as Akaashi showed no hesitation in his choice of brick, only slightly envious of his composure.

"How are you so fearless with this?" He asked as Akaashi continued taking the tower apart turn after turn.

Akaashi shrugged. "Play jenga with Kuroo and Bokuto a few times and you learn to be fearless." He smiled.

"But, you're just so good at picking the safe ones." Shirabu pouted as Kenma looked the tower up and down for an opportunity to screw Oikawa over.

"It's part luck, part knowing how weight is distributed." Akaashi replied as Kenma made a miscalculation and sent the tower toppling.

He sighed as the other reacted in joy. "In my defence, Oikawa has his hands in my hair right now."

"Yeah yeah." Shirabu waved him off. "So who gets his phone?"

Kenma offered it to Suga. Oikawa chuckled as he declared his job was done, proudly showing off how he had managed to set Kenma's short hair in place with only one hair pin - no-one bothered to question where it came from - he had taken part of Kenma's fringe and braided it back into the rest of his hair around the crown of his head, leaving sections to hang loose and give off the impression of a waterfall.

"I don't want to know how you knew how to do that." Semi remarked.

"I have a sister and she keeps sending me YouTube tutorials asking if certain styles would suit her hair." Oikawa shrugged. "Kenma's hair isn't quite long enough for most of them."

"Uh-huh."

Suga hadn't really anticipated being the trusted party in these stakes, he didn't really want to make fun of Kenma but at the same time; he knew Kuroo would die at seeing Oikawa's braiding efforts turned out better than his.

"Hey Oikawa, pose for a picture with Kenma." Suga said, tapping the camera icon. Kenma sighed slightly as he realised what was about to happen but smiled and flashed a peace sign nonetheless. Oikawa slung an arm around the smaller setter and matched the peace sign with a grin as Suga took the picture.

With a swipe and a caption of 'When a rival setter decides your hair needs braiding and actually pulls it off', the picture was sent to the Nekoma group chat.

"Round three?" Akaashi asked as he began re-stacking the tower.

 

* * *

 

 

After many more embarrassing pictures were sent to various group chats, they decided to call the jenga experience to a close before Semi murdered Akaashi for not losing a single round. Both Karasuno and Shiratorizawa's chats had gotten off lightly in comparison to Seijoh and Nekoma's. Kageyama losing a round prompted a very different discussion though.

"What do you mean you have the default phone lock-screen?" Shirabu asked accusingly. "And I thought Semi's was lame for just being a picture of a sunset."

Kageyama shrugged. "I just...never wanted to change it?"

"Well that's changing right this second." Oikawa declared, summoning the snapchat app on his phone. "Tobio-chan, we're gonna get you a new lock-screen with the help of the filters."

"Uhm, sure?" Kageyama was indifferent, unlike Semi who seemed repulsed at the idea of being made to have virtual cat ears. Jenga was then promptly abandoned in the interest of taking as many snapchat selfies as Oikawa's phone storage would allow. Kageyama himself wasn't sure what the fuss was about as he found Oikawa in his personal space and the phone's camera directed at the two of them.

"You look so adorable with a flower crown Tobio-chan~" Oikawa sang as the virtual graphics appeared on the screen and snapped the picture.

"Hey, so is Oikawa going to be the only one taking pictures?" Shirabu asked, unlocking his own phone.

"...do not tell me you want to--" Semi started but didn't finish his sentence as his kouhai abruptly posed next to him and the cat ears appeared on both their heads. "Shirabu--"

"Too late!" The camera sound-effect confirmed that Shirabu had indeed taken the picture much to Semi’s disdain.

"I'm not even mad anymore, just disappointed you'd follow _his_ lead." Semi sighed, startling slightly when he felt someone prod his shoulder to get his attention. Suga raised an eyebrow and gestured to his own phone.

"No cat ears, I promise." He smiled.

Semi sighed, tired of feeling grumpy over this ordeal by now. He supposed if he stuck with Suga he'd be able to avoid total humiliation. "Sure." He dared to smile a little as Suga selected one of the more tame filters that just highlighted their features slightly. He'd even go as far as to say they looked flawless as fuck.

Akaashi and Kenma were well-versed in the art of snapchat selfies given that Kuroo and Bokuto had streaks with both of them. So when Shirabu was coldly shut down by Semi, they adopted him into their antics. There were several dorky selfies taken with cat and bear ears alike, Shirabu laughed every time Akaashi pulled a silly expression - mostly because he'd only really seen Akaashi poker-faced or smirking. Kenma was more inclined to look like a startled rabbit and flash peace signs no matter what crazy virtual graphics were playing out around him.

After a while, Oikawa stopped harassing Kageyama and started making the rounds of the group. Soon everyone's phones were being filled up with collections of silly selfies, entire collages could be made of pictures with dog and cat ears alone let alone ones with stars and hearts.

Somewhere along the way, some of the pictures got sent to certain group chats.

"Suga-san you've been accused of fraternising with the enemy." Kageyama remarked, looking up from Karasuno's chat where a selfie of Suga and Oikawa had made it's way into it.

"Oh god, by who?" Suga chuckled.

"Noya-san."

"Send him one of you and Semi then." Suga shrugged. "Make it adorable."

Semi gave Suga a confused look but didn't argue, having mellowed out as the competitive nature of the day faded and was replaced with a more friendly atmosphere. Kageyama handed his phone to Semi who scrolled through until he found a filter he could work with. With the golden stars surrounding both their heads, he snapped the picture and added a caption to be sent on its way.

Kageyama read it and snorted. "Tanaka-san is going to love that pun."

Semi smiled. "May not be the best of puns oh well."

Suga didn't even have to ask, he checked the chat and saw the caption for himself; 'Just two _star_ setters chilling together. Problem?'

"Hey, I’ll start a group chat up and we can send these to each other for the _memories_ ~"  Oikawa declared as he let Shirabu put cat ears on both of them.

"Sure thing." Akaashi nodded. "By the way, are we making more pancakes for supper?"

Oikawa paused for thought. "No. No I'll send out for pizza."

Kenma perked up at the mention of pizza. "They've got on offer on right now...50% off."

"Great!" Oikawa scrambled over the pillows to exit out of the fort. "I'll order some!"

Suga chuckled slightly. "Maybe we should take the fort apart a bit before we eat."

Semi and Akaashi agreed with Suga's smart idea. Whilst Oikawa was on the phone to the pizza company, they carefully opened up the fort a bit; it involved taking the roof down for a few minutes whilst they spaced the cushion-walls out some more. Between the three of them they managed to put the blanket roof back on with some added headroom.

The pizza didn't take long to arrive, three large boxes were laid out on the island counter in the kitchen. They didn't quite anticipate the shape of the pizza however.

"Love hearts." Shirabu observed. "Why?"

"Tomorrow's valentines' day init?" Semi shrugged, picking out a slice.

"Psh, pizza is pizza." Kageyama said with a mouthful off food.

" _Guys_ come on, valentine’s day is special." Oikawa waved his slice of pizza around and Akaashi had a brief flashback of Shirabu waving the whisk _and_ the frying pan around.

"Eh, if you're into that." Kenma mumbled. "I'd rather just spend the day at home playing video games with Kuro-- In a bro manner."

"Life's too short to worry about dates and crap." Semi picked at a piece of pepperoni. "Besides, I don't need a special holiday to show the people I care about that...I care about them."

Oikawa smiled. "Oh really? So what are your plans for tomorrow hm?"

Semi slowly chewed his pizza. "Waking up here by the sound of things."

"Aw~ Semi-Sweetie you care about us!"

"knock it off." Semi's cheeks reddened slightly as Shirabu pretended to gag.

In a way, Semi's refusal to say what Oikawa had correctly assumed summed up the entire day. They were by no means best friends yet, but if the day’s events had proven anything, it was that they could get along and not cause too much chaos. Rivals or not, they could enjoy a pizza together when all was said and done.

After another few rounds of jenga and Oikawa prying for gossip from each team, the call was made to break the fort apart to try and get some sleep. The host with the most offered everyone hot chocolate as Suga and Semi orchestrated the transformation from fort to seven 'beds'. Whatever spare futons Oikawa had were rolled out and soon there was a circle of makeshift beds taking up the floor space of Oikawa's lounge. The fairy lights were bundled in the middle of the circle as they all sat - or lay - in their sleeping spots letting the tiredness catch up with them.

"So, when should we do this all again?" Oikawa asked as he regarded the group.

"Hmm, next break from classes?" Suga suggested. "As long as we don't have any practice camps of course."

"Sounds like a plan." Semi yawned, already hell bent on sleeping sooner rather than later.

"Are we having pancakes for breakfast?" Shirabu asked.

"You bet." Oikawa smiled.

"I want sleep." Kenma murmured, already bundled up in his chosen blankets.

Akaashi chuckled. "We were up at like...seven to catch the train here so I don't blame you."

"Seven?" Shirabu repeated. "Sheesh, Tokyo is so far..."

"Worth it." Kenma uttered.

The conversation took on a more hushed tone, allowing those who wanted to sleep to do so. However it did mean that any laughs had to be muffled, something that Oikawa struggled with when Kageyama - who had been quiet for a while - suddenly asked another life-altering question.

"If sports balls had feelings...would volleyball be illegal?"

"Tobio-chan, do you ever think of things unrelated to volleyball?" Oikawa whispered.

"But seriously, would it be illegal?" Kageyama was staring at the ceiling in thought, oblivious to Shirabu's sniggering.

"Would you want to play if you knew they had feelings?" Akaashi asked.

"Don't encourage him, please I can't take it--" Shirabu tried to muffle his laughter in his pillow.

"Okay but the real question is how did we find out they have feelings?" Suga poked Kageyama's shoulder. "Is this a new thing or something that's always happened?"

"But what if they could _talk_?" Oikawa's eyes were wide in the dim light.

Shirabu was perilously close to bursting into a fit of giggles, which was dangerous when Semi was trying to sleep right next to him.

"Would they scream every time they get spiked?" Kageyama's monotone voice wasn't helping in the slightest as Akaashi shook his head slightly.

"Where would their mouths be? Or would it be like...ultrasonic?"

"An ultrasonic volleyball..." Kageyama repeated, voice trailing off. Steady, heavy breathing replaced his words, Suga had to do a double take before confirming that Kageyama had literally fallen asleep mid-sentence about volleyballs.

"...on a similar note." Akaashi hummed. "Bokuto once asked me if pigeons have feelings."

"If I hear another dumbass question from any of you, I'm going to get Ushijima to spike a ball in your face." Semi grumbled.

Shirabu lost it, laughing loudly until Semi abruptly hit him with a pillow, then the laughs turned to cries of protest. Suga and Akaashi declined to get involved, Oikawa on the other hand decided stealing Shirabu's phone was on the agenda. He flicked through the group chat where multiple selfies had been the talk of the powerhouse team, Tendou had posted a reaction gif every single time, Goshiki kept demanding to know who was who and why Shirabu looked so happy to be with them.

Oikawa took a ten second video of Semi continuing to hit Shirabu with the pillow, telling him to 'stop squawking like a distressed eagle and go the fuck to sleep'.

Within a few moments of the video being sent, Ushijima asked who was filming and why they were all still awake at two in the morning. Oikawa send back a selfie with his trademark peace sign and wink. After a few more messages back and forth about how Oikawa had come to possess Shirabu's phone, Ushijima reiterated that it was two am and they should be sleeping.

To which Oikawa couldn't help himself. 'Why don't you go the fuck to sleep?'

When a video message came back, Oikawa called for Semi to quit making noise because "Ushijima's sent me a message I need to hear it!"

Silence brewed anticipation as the video buffered. Ushijima was led in bed, looking stoic as usual as he raised an eyebrow.

_Oikawa-san, if you wanted to be part of this chat so badly that you stole Shirabu-san's phone. You should've come to Shiratorizawa in the first place._

Oikawa paled as Semi and Shirabu both burst into a fit of laughter. Akaashi plucked the phone from Oikawa's hand and took a quick reaction picture to send before handing it back to Shirabu. Suga shook his head slightly as Oikawa buried his red face in his pillow and loudly declared that it was time to sleep.

"You asked for that one." Semi smugly stated. "You really did."

"Shut up!"

Somehow both Kageyama and Kenma had remained asleep through the chaos and calamity. With the last of the craziness fading into fatigue, the rest of them settled down to sleep finally. Just before everyone drifted off, Oikawa spoke out in the darkness.

"Hey, I just want say I really appreciate you guys staying." He softly said. "It really means a lot to me."

"It's been fun." Suga replied. "We should definitely do it again."

"Except less egg throwing." Semi added.

"I thought it was egg-cellent." Shirabu murmured.

Semi scoffed. "You're the worst."

"I agree with Shirabu," Akaashi stifled a yawn "it was an egg-citing day."

"Stop. No more egg puns." Semi complained.

"Come on Semi, you should _crack_ a joke every now and then." Shirabu braced himself for an attack that never came.

Oikawa chuckled slightly, rolling over in his futon and yawning. "Goodnight everyone~"

A few mumbled 'good-nights' were returned before relative silence fell. Whilst it hadn't been the smoothest of operations, he was more than satisfied that the foundations of friendship had been laid that day. Sure there was more than everyone's fair share of bickering, and the 'great egg fight' would be referenced as many time as they could without getting murdered by Semi for the puns. But even the serious-natured one of the group had cracked a few smiles that afternoon in the fort.

It was a start, and that's what Oikawa had wanted, a start to several beautiful friendships that he'd carry with him beyond high school. God only knew he'd need them.

 

 


End file.
